Digital calculation

Objective

Central objective of this technical platform is to provide and maintain its own means of calculation and access to existing external solutions that are well sized for research carried out at GM.

In such a context, we call digital calculation any activity related to treatment of a problem in Geoscience based on resolution of equations (ODE, EDP , proba-stats formulations, SPH, …), assimilation of data, heavy data analysis going through complex calculations, inversion, benchmarking, development and testing of new codes.

Equipment

Equipement forming essence of this technical platform are :

• internaly local cluster of GM and potentially small servers strictly dedicated to very specific calculation (GPU for example, not covered by current offer), local workstations, imagering and seismic rooms of GM,
• externally MESO@LR center and national calculation centers

Working Goups (GT) on strategic issues are regularly set up and managed by PCN (GT on data storage at GM, GT on code sharing for example).

Missions

Missions of PCN are as follows :

1. Definition of a strategy for developing digital calculating resources at GM, in accordance to certains points to laboratory’s scientific foresight, and needs of users (regular, occasional and potential);
2. Animation;
3. Technical support for codes installation;
4. Discussion/definition of this technical platform budget with laboratory gouvernance;
5. Definition of self-financing strategy (operating and equipment) of this technical platform (e.g. discussion of a principle of solidarity and existence of a co-payment, search for additional financing following a call for projects…);
6. Definition of internship outlines stages (young computer scientists) to help develop small collective tools (very common in MIPS department – we have access to these students) and more generally strategic and technical support of this technical platform in terms of recruitment (post-docs, etc.).